Opposites Attract
by Mediwitch1
Summary: R/Hr oneshot: Ron realises it's always Hermione who has to work at their relationship. He decides that this time he'll be the one to act and show her how much she means to him - but it doesn't exactly go to plan! Takes place before the epilogue of DH.


_A/N: The story explains itself - hope you like it :) reviews please!_

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><p>Ron Weasley was sitting at the foot of a tree in the apple orchard, plucking grass and thinking of his relationship with Hermione.<p>

He had always been waiting for Hermione. He'd always sat on the sidelines watching opportunities pass him by, because to him it had seemed impossible that she could ever _really_ like him back.

Hermione's first boyfriend was Victor Krum for heaven's sake – an international Quidditch champion! Not to mention the fact that their best friend was _Harry Potter - _and next to him, who would ever even look at Ron?

But Hermione did look at Ron, she was waiting for him too, and everyone else knew that. Ever since their fourth year when she'd hoped he would ask her to the Yule Ball, she had been waiting. She'd wanted to invite him to Slughorn's Christmas party. She had cried herself to sleep for weeks after he abandoned them while they were hunting horcruxes.

But Ron could never make that first move.

So finally, during the mayhem and terror of the final battle at Hogwarts, she had stopped waiting, and kissed him. He was stunned, and then overwhelmed – happiness and desire rose up in him as he lifted her off her feet and deepened the kiss. How could this be real? Of all people, Hermione had chosen to kiss _him?_

Not only did she kiss him – but after the battle, she'd still wanted to be with him!

He'd thought she might have been caught up in the moment; they could have been dead any minute after all. She had laughed, exasperated, when he admitted this to her a few weeks later.

"Ron Weasley," she sighed, cupping his face with her hand. "Don't you understand? I'm mad about you! I have been for years!"

He had simply stared at her, almost unable to believe his luck. She shook her head wearily. "Well, I knew _you _were never going to act, and one of us had to do it!"

He looked away from her face, frowning. She was right; he never would have acted.

That was the way things were in their relationship. _She_ had invited _him_ to Slughorn's party, she had kissed him, and she had been the one to say '_I love you' _first. She was the one who had shyly started to undo his shirt buttons that first time…

He smiled to himself. That had been the best night of his life.

He resolved that this time it would be different. Hermione deserved it, for him to be the one to act. She deserved to know how much she meant to him, how she meant _everything_, really. He squinted into the sunlight, contemplating.

Hermione was currently at work. He had a day off and was using it to visit his family – Mrs Weasley liked him to check in fairly regularly, she missed her children being around the house and always wanted to hear their news.

Ron had a fairly good idea what news his mother was hoping to hear. Ron and Hermione had been together for several years now; they shared a little flat in London and they were happy, (in that way that Ron and Hermione could be happy despite having five arguments a day).

Recently though, Ron had noticed that look in Hermione's eye. She was waiting for him again.

He checked his watch – it was nearly six o'clock. They were all eating dinner at the Burrow tonight; Harry and Ginny would be there too.

Ron was looking forward to seeing his best mate; not least because he was keen for advice on how to go about this.

He pulled himself to his feet and made his way back to the house, enjoying the warmth and smell of the summer's evening around him. It made him feel nostalgic, walking through the orchard where they had played quidditch during the summer holidays, through the garden which had hosted Bill and Fleur's wedding…the garden he had spent countless hours degnoming…Of course, Fred had been here then…

He shook his head slightly, letting himself into the kitchen through the back door.

Once inside he stopped dead, taken aback, as he saw Hermione was standing in the middle of the kitchen, arms crossed over her chest, looking livid. He groaned inwardly; this did not look good.

"_Ronald Weasley!"_

He swallowed. "What?"

"_I have just been home to drop off my work things and the place is a MESS!"_

He closed his eyes wearily. "Blimey Hermione, I thought something really bad had happened then."

"_Something bad has happened!" _she shrieked. "I asked you, I specifically _asked _you to clean up because you had some time off and I didn't! You haven't done anything! The dirty plates are nearly piled up the ceiling, you can't move in our bedroom for clothes on the floor-"

"Oh stop nagging me!" he snapped. "I'll do it, alright?"

"_No it is _not_ alright!"_ She took several steps closer and Ron observed nervously that she had her wand out. "I'm sick of this! I'm sick of being the one who has to make everything happen! For once, Ron, would it be so hard for you to act of your own accord? Could you not just think, _ah, Hermione might not like to come home to a filthy flat, maybe I could help her out_-"

She was interrupted by two loud cracks from outside, and then came the voices of Harry and Ginny. Ron had never felt more grateful towards his best friend and his sister.

"Ginny, she'll never make the team," Harry was saying as he opened the front door. "Trust me."

They were talking about the Holyhead Harpies again, Ron noted dully.

"I really hope not," she replied, coming in behind him, "can't stand the woman – Oh, hello you two!"

Ginny's smile fell slightly as she acknowledged that Hermione was glaring at Ron, whose expression was guilty, and the fact that there was about three feet between them.

"You're not fighting again, surely," Harry groaned. "I used to think you argued because you fancied each other, I thought when you got together you might stop…"

"Wishful thinking, Harry," Hermione sighed, going over to give him a hug.

"She's just making mountains out of molehills," Ron told him, at which Hermione drew in a breath and turned to him, opening her mouth to retort -

"Er, I'm going to go and say 'hi' to mum…" said Ginny quickly, making an escape to the living room.

"- I am _not _making mountains of molehills!"

"So I didn't clean the flat, big deal!" He threw his hands up in exasperation. "Back me up here Harry," he demanded, turning to him.

Harry gaped at the two of them.

"This is_ not_ to do with the flat!" Hermione shouted in frustration.

Ron shook his head – he had never known anyone who could make him so _angry_. "It's not? What the bloody hell's wrong with you then?"

"You never do _anything_ for us, Ron! I have to work so hard at our relationship and you never do a _single_ thing! You're completely spineless!"

A harsh silence met her words.

"Spineless?" Ron echoed, his voice low. Heat prickled his face. "You think I'm spineless?"

"That's what I said," Hermione intoned, trying to keep her voice steady.

"Right," Ron ran a hand through his hair. "Right…"

This wasn't the moment – he didn't want to ask her here, not now, he wasn't prepared…

Harry cleared his throat awkwardly; "Well, I think I'll go and say 'hi' to Mrs Weasley too…" he tried to slip away, but it was at that moment that Mrs Weasley and Ginny decided to return to the kitchen, followed by Percy and George—

"Oh, that's great Ron!" Hermione piped up again, her cheeks ablaze. "Just stand there, don't do anything, that's fine-"

"- Oh God they're off again," George sighed.

"- I'll pick up the pieces as always! I am so sick of being the one to sort our relationship out, of being the one to make us move _forward_-"

"Alright," Ron cut her off angrily, "so bloody marry me then!"

There was a ringing silence. Hermione's mouth fell open. George's head snapped up.

Even Ron looked as though he couldn't believe what had come out of his mouth.

Another crack outside – a glance at the clock told them Mr Weasley had arrived home from work. They turned towards the door.

"Hello all!" he called brightly, stepping into the kitchen and taking off his cloak.

"Shhh!" Mrs Weasley hissed, waving his voice down.

Mr Weasley looked around shrewdly, taking note of the tense atmosphere. "What's going on?" he asked. No one responded.

"Ron," Hermione began quietly, uncomfortably aware of their audience. "You can't just say that – just because we're arguing – this isn't how I expected…well, actually I didn't _expect_ it at all..."

She was looking down at the floor now, and Ron felt a wave of remorse.

"Hermione," He took a step closer, daring to reach out for her hands. "I've been thinking about this for weeks, months even – I was going to ask Harry tonight for advice on how to ask you. I've been, I mean...I've been hoping for this for well, years, really."

In another act of daring, he lifted her chin so her eyes met his.

"I know I've been spineless. I know you've had to do all the work – but I mean this. Believe me. I want you, for the rest of my life. You…" he swallowed. He looked around at his family, face burning, and then back at Hermione. "You really do mean the world to me. I love you."

She laughed weakly, "yeah, I suppose you're alright too."

"So…is that a yes, then?" he asked her tentatively.

"Yes," she nodded, her voice small.

A pause.

"Yes!" she said again, smiling this time. She threw her arms around his neck, "yes of course, you idiot!"

And this time, Ron kissed_ her_.

Cheers erupted around them as they kissed, and Ron thought this was possibly the happiest moment of his life...

When they broke apart he looked around at Harry, who was grinning, and at Ginny – who looked exasperated – and at his mother, who looked so proud she might cry.

"I don't suppose you have a ring, do you?" Hermione eyed him sceptically.

Ron looked uncomfortable. "Well...er...I hadn't exactly got round to that bit yet-"

"One thing at a time, Hermione," Ginny grinned. "This _is_ Ron we're talking about..."

Ron's ear tips coloured but Hermione simply laughed along with the others.

Mrs Weasley looked significantly at her husband, and he nodded, smiling. "Wait a minute!" she called.

She returned moments later holding a small blue velvet box. She handed it to Ron; "this was your Grandma Weasley's engagement ring – I've been thinking for a while you might like to give it to Hermione."

He opened the box and stared at the emerald ring inside it. He then looked back at his mother, "thank you."

She beamed back at him.

Ron then turned to face Hermione.

He wanted to get this right. He took the ring from its box, and carefully took Hermione's left hand in his, and slid the ring onto her fourth finger; where it would stay, he hoped, for the rest of their lives.

The two of them grinned at one another, before he took her in his arms yet again and held on tight.

"Typical isn't it?" Ginny muttered to Harry. "Ron confesses his love and proposes to Hermione…in the middle of a heated argument."

Harry chuckled; "Too right."

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><p><em>AN: Please review! I know this was ridiculously fluffy but I hope it was canon, I did want it to seem believable :)_


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